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The data is free - now what?

by Jonathan Akwue | Jan 21, 2010
Tags: Digital organisations Government Digital Britain Data Web 2.0

Today sees the launch of the new Government data portal data.gov.uk.

The government developer community has greeted this announcement with widespread praise, but what does all this free data mean? And why is it of use? The datasets within the repository consist of things like agricultural statistics, Vehicle Licensing statistics and more besides. All this data has a use for someone, but it can’t be easily understood or comprehended in its raw form.

However freeing the data will allow developers, organisations, and Government bodies to provide the British public with contextual information down to an incredibly granular level. Expect to see many more infographics in the years to come.

Moreover, as commented by Paul Clarke it's "a first step towards delivering the government's commitment to publish public sector data openly, and freeing it up to be reused."

We think that the new portal is a fantastic step. Hats off to the team behind it - especially because it has been built from the ground up with Open Source and Open Standards in mind.

Of course the real value will come as people begin to use the data within it in useful ways. Several interesting examples have already been developed including some projects that we are currently working on.

Will it change the world overnight? No, probably not. But I believe it will lead to better services in the medium to long term.

After all, the more people have access to data, the easier it will be to make comparisons and hold public services to account. It will also allow personalised services to be designed that are built around the needs of individuals instead of organisations. And that’s got to be a good thing.

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